A Michigan student who sued her university for placing restrictions on where she could take her guinea pig on campus has agreed to a $40,000 settlement.
Kendra Velzen received the payout from Grand Valley State University (GVSU) after the university decided against incurring further legal costs from the case.
“We believe it was in the best interest of all parties to come to an agreement without the case going to trial, and we are pleased we were successful,” GVSU wrote in a statement to the Charlatan.
The 28-year-old originally filed the lawsuit in March 2012 after her initial requests to keep the guinea pig in her campus dormitory were turned down by the university.
According to the lawsuit, Velzen needed the guinea pig to help her manage symptoms associated with severe depression.
The animal, named Blanca, was prescribed to Velzen for “emotional support” by her therapist.
“The presence of Blanca provides Ms. Velzen with continued emotional support and attachment (thereby reducing symptoms of depression), physiological benefits (such as decreased heart rate) and psychological benefits,” Velzen’s attorney said.
Velzen, who also requires the use of a pacemaker, first pled her case to GVSU when she moved into the university’s Calder Residence in August 2011, the lawsuit said. Although the apartment-style building has a no-pet policy, Velzen said she hoped the university would make an exception due to her disabling conditions.
GVSU eventually granted Velzen’s request, but only after Velzen had filed a formal complaint of unlawful discrimination with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.
Velzen and her attorney argued the university’s agreement prevented her from taking the guinea pig to common areas of the university’s campus, including classrooms and dining areas.
As a result of those restrictions, Velzen decided to take legal action with the support of the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan (FHCWM). In a joint suit, they accused GVSU of violating federal housing laws by failing to provide Velzen with reasonable accommodation for her disabilities.
“Under fair housing law, someone with a disability is able to ask for reasonable accommodation,” centre executive director Nancy Haynes said.
“If there is a no-pet policy and someone has a letter from their doctor which relates their disability to their need for this companion animal, then that puts the burden on the landlord or on the university housing person to engage in dialogue about whether or not the request is reasonable and whether or not it would put an undue burden on the housing provider,” she said.
Velzen and the FHCWM agreed to dismiss its lawsuit in return for the cash settlement.
GVSU has pledged that it will allow Velzen to keep a guinea pig, or a similar animal, if she opted to reapply for on-campus housing in the near future.
The university also agreed to work with the FHCWM to create a new housing policy that addresses students in need of assistance animals.
Animal therapy on the rise
The guinea pig lawsuit highlights a growing trend in providing animal therapy to students.
University of Calgary student Ben Cannon was elected to his student union as vice-president of student life after promising voters a puppy room on campus.
Dalhousie University set up a puppy room in December to help students reduce final exam stress.
Carleton University Students’ Association plans to introduce a Health and Wellness Centre that could feature dog therapy.
Stanley Coren is a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia that specializes in human-animal bonds.
“When you are around a friendly dog, there are immediate changes. Your heartbeat goes down and your muscles relax, and some stress-related hormones are reduced,” Coren said.
The effects of petting a dog are similar to taking a major antidepressant, and a much cheaper option too, Coren said.
“When you take an antidepressant, it might take six weeks for those effects to build up. When you pet a dog, you get those effects within a minute or two, which can last up to five hours,” he said.
Bringing animals into schools allows students to connect with others, who can provide support beyond the session, Coren said.
